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Abstract:

Methods and systems for adjusting a video imaging system that includes an
auto-focus mechanism wherein an input from a user of the video imaging
system invokes an auto-focus procedure. Responsive to the input, the
auto-focus mechanism is scanned over a range of focal distance from a
first setting to a second setting indicated by the input. A sequence of
images using the video imaging system is captured while scanning the
auto-focus mechanism over the range. The images in the sequence are
processed so as to compute a measure of focal quality with respect to
each of the images. The measure of the focal quality is analyzed so as to
select an optimal focal distance, and the auto-focus mechanism is set to
the selected focal distance.

Claims:

1. A method for adjusting a video imaging system that includes an
auto-focus mechanism, the method comprising:receiving an input from a
user of the video imaging system invoking an auto-focus
procedure;responsively to the input, scanning the auto-focus mechanism
over a range of focal distance from a first setting to a second setting
indicated by the input;capturing a sequence of images using the video
imaging system while scanning the auto-focus mechanism over the
range;processing the images in the sequence so as to compute a measure of
focal quality with respect to each of the images;analyzing the measure of
the focal quality so as to select an optimal focal distance; andsetting
the auto-focus mechanism to the selected focal distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein receiving the input comprises
sensing actuation and release of a user control associated with the video
imaging system.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the video imaging system
comprises a camera, and wherein the user control comprises a button on
the camera.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein scanning the auto-focus
mechanism comprises determining the second setting to be the focal
distance at which the user control was released.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the release of the user
control is indicative of an approximation by the user of the optimal
focal distance.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein processing the images
comprises computing the measure of focal quality by evaluating edges in
the images.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein processing the images
comprises computing the measure of focal quality over a plurality of
windows within each of the images, and wherein analyzing the measure of
the focal quality comprises selecting at least one of the windows so as
to determine the optimal focal distance

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein analyzing the measure of focal
quality comprises evaluating a profile of the measure of focal quality as
a function of the focal distance against an expected profile that is
associated with optical defocusing.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein scanning the auto-focus
mechanism comprises scanning the focal distance in a first direction, and
comprising performing at least one scan of the focal distance in a second
direction, opposite to the first direction, in order to find the optimal
focal distance.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein scanning the focal distance
in the first direction comprises determining a threshold value of the
measure that is indicative of the optimal focal distance while scanning
in the first direction, and wherein performing the at least one scan of
the focal distance in the second direction comprises terminating the at
least one scan when the measure passes the threshold or when a
predetermined time limit has expired.

11. The method according to claim 1, wherein capturing the sequence of
images comprises capturing the images of an anatomical structure inside a
body of a subject using an endoscope.

12. The method according to claim 1, wherein the input is received while
the video imaging system is directed to image a target used in a color
balancing procedure.

13. Apparatus for video imaging, comprising:an image sensor;imaging
optics, which are configured to form an image on the image sensor and
comprise an auto-focus mechanism for adjusting a focal distance of the
imaging optics;an auto-focus control, which is operable by a user of the
apparatus to generate an input invoking an auto-focus procedure; anda
controller, which is configured to scan the auto-focus mechanism,
responsively to the input, over a range of focal distances from a first
setting to a second setting indicated by the input, and to process a
sequence of images captured by the image sensor while scanning the
auto-focus mechanism over the range so as to compute a measure of focal
quality with respect to each of the images, and to analyze the measure of
the focal quality so as to select an optimal focal distance and set the
auto-focus mechanism to the selected focal distance.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is coupled
to sense actuation and release of the auto-focus control.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the video imaging system
comprises a camera containing the image sensor, and wherein the user
control comprises a button on the camera.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the controller is
configured to determine the second setting to be the focal distance at
which the user released the auto-focus control.

17. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the release of the user
control is indicative of an approximation by the user of the optimal
focal distance.

18. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is
configured to compute the measure of focal quality by evaluating edges in
the images.

19. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is
configured to compute the measure of focal quality over a plurality of
windows within each of the images, and to select at least one of the
windows so as to determine the optimal focal distance.

20. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the controller is
configured to evaluate a profile of the measure of focal quality as a
function of the focal distance against an expected profile that is
associated with optical defocusing.

21. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is
configured to drive the auto-focus mechanism so as to scan the focal
distance in a first direction, and then to perform at least one scan of
the focal distance in a second direction, opposite to the first
direction, in order to find the optimal focal distance.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein the controller is
configured to determine a threshold value of the measure that is
indicative of the optimal focal distance while scanning the focal
distance in the first direction, and to terminate the at least one scan
in the second direction when the measure passes the threshold or when a
predetermined time limit has expired.

23. The apparatus according to claim 13, and comprising an endoscope,
wherein the image sensor is configured to capture the images of an
anatomical structure inside a body of a subject using the endoscope.

24. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the controller is
configured to receive the input while the video imaging system is
directed to image a target used in a color balancing procedure.

Description:

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S.
Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/940,047, filed May 24, 2007 the
contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference as if recited in
full herein for all purposes.

[0003]Endoscopic cameras are used, in conjunction with suitable endoscopic
optics, to capture and display images of structures within the body of a
subject. Such cameras commonly incorporate auto-focus mechanisms, which
automatically focus the optics in order to optimize the quality of the
captured image.

[0004]Various types of auto-focus mechanisms are known in the art of
endoscopic imaging. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,389,565, whose
disclosure is incorporated herein by reference, describes an automatic
focusing device in which the focus of an image of the object to be
observed is automatically controlled based on the distance to the object.
The distance is automatically detected by varying the intensity of the
light source that is used to illuminate the object and measuring the
intensity of the light reflected by the object. According to the
distance, a focusing lens is driven to obtain a focused image.

[0005]As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,749,561, whose disclosure is
incorporated herein by reference, describes an auto-focusing endoscopic
system, which uses a transition between an imaging area and a non-imaging
area in the endoscopic image in focusing the endoscopic optics. This
approach is said to allow for robust auto-focusing operation regardless
of contrast characteristics of the environment.

[0006]Prior art auto-focus mechanisms systems typically set the focal
distance of the imaging optics based on measurement and optimization of
certain image characteristics. When the characteristics change, the
auto-focus mechanism will typically seek a new focus. In some imaging
environments, however, it may be difficult to find a clear optimum. As a
result, the mechanism may spend a long time in seeking a focus and may
then settle at an incorrect focal distance or resume seeking
unnecessarily as the image changes. These sorts of problems are common,
for example, in some endoscopic applications. Accordingly, there is a
need for improved auto-focus methods and systems.

SUMMARY

[0007]In the embodiments of the inventive subject matter that are
described hereinbelow, auto-focus problems of these sorts are addressed
with the aid of the user of the system. Auto-focus operation is invoked
in response to an input by the user, which causes the auto-focus
mechanism to begin scanning the focal distance of the imaging optics. The
mechanism continues scanning from an initial setting of the focal
distance up to a second setting, and the system meanwhile captures images
and evaluates a measure of their focal quality in order to automatically
find the optimal focal distance. Subsequently, the auto-focus mechanism
may remain at this optimal focus, without seeking a new focus even when
image characteristics change, until the user again actuates the
auto-focus control.

[0008]In some embodiments, the user may choose the second setting by
appropriate operation of the input, and thus controls the range over
which the auto-focus mechanism scans in seeking the optimal focus. It is
desirable that the user choose the second setting so that the imaging
optics at the second setting are adjusted to a focal distance that is
approximately optimal. This sort of user input can assist the system in
converging rapidly to the proper focal distance.

[0009]Although the embodiments described hereinbelow relate specifically
to endoscopic imaging, the principles of the inventive subject matter may
similarly be applied in providing interactive auto-focus functionality in
other electronic imaging applications.

[0010]There is therefore provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the
inventive subject matter, a method for adjusting a video imaging system
that includes an auto-focus mechanism, the method including:

[0011]receiving an input from a user of the video imaging system invoking
an auto-focus procedure;

[0012]responsively to the input, scanning the auto-focus mechanism over a
range of focal distance from a first setting to a second setting
indicated by the input;

[0013]capturing a sequence of images using the video imaging system while
scanning the auto-focus mechanism over the range;

[0014]processing the images in the sequence so as to compute a measure of
focal quality with respect to each of the images;

[0015]analyzing the measure of the focal quality so as to select an
optimal focal distance; and

[0016]setting the auto-focus mechanism to the selected focal distance.

[0017]There is also provided, in accordance with an embodiment of the
inventive subject matter, apparatus for video imaging, including:

[0018]an image sensor;

[0019]imaging optics, which are configured to form an image on the image
sensor and include an auto-focus mechanism for adjusting a focal distance
of the imaging optics;

[0020]an auto-focus control, which is operable by a user of the apparatus
to generate an input invoking an auto-focus procedure; and

[0021]a controller, which is configured to scan the auto-focus mechanism,
responsively to the input, over a range of focal distances from a first
setting to a second setting indicated by the input, and to process a
sequence of images captured by the image sensor while scanning the
auto-focus mechanism over the range so as to compute a measure of focal
quality with respect to each of the images, and to analyze the measure of
the focal quality so as to select an optimal focal distance and set the
auto-focus mechanism to the selected focal distance.

[0022]In some embodiments, receiving the input includes sensing actuation
and release of a user control associated with the video imaging system.
In a disclosed embodiment, the video imaging system includes a camera,
and the user control includes a button on the camera. Typically, scanning
the auto-focus mechanism includes determining the second setting to be
the focal distance at which the user control was released, wherein the
release of the user control is indicative of an approximation by the user
of the optimal focal distance.

[0023]In a disclosed embodiment, processing the images includes computing
the measure of focal quality by evaluating edges in the images.

[0024]In some embodiments, processing the images includes computing the
measure of focal quality over a plurality of windows within each of the
images, and analyzing the measure of the focal quality includes selecting
at least one of the windows so as to determine the optimal focal
distance. Additionally or alternatively, analyzing the measure of focal
quality includes evaluating a profile of the measure of focal quality as
a function of the focal distance against an expected profile that is
associated with optical defocusing.

[0025]In some embodiments, scanning the auto-focus mechanism includes
scanning the focal distance in a first direction, and the method includes
performing at least one scan of the focal distance in a second direction,
opposite to the first direction, in order to find the optimal focal
distance. In one such embodiment, scanning the focal distance in the
first direction includes determining a threshold value of the measure
that is indicative of the optimal focal distance while scanning in the
first direction, and performing the at least one scan of the focal
distance in the second direction includes terminating the at least one
scan when the measure passes the threshold or when a predetermined time
limit has expired.

[0026]In a disclosed embodiment, capturing the sequence of images includes
capturing the images of an anatomical structure inside a body of a
subject using an endoscope.

[0027]Optionally, the input is received while the video imaging system is
directed to image a target used in a color balancing procedure.

[0028]These and other embodiments are described in more detail in the
following detailed descriptions and the figures. The various methods may
be implemented as a set of machine readable and executable instructions
stored on known storage media for computing devices.

[0029]The foregoing is not intended to be an exhaustive list of
embodiments and features of the inventive subject matter. Persons skilled
in the art are capable of appreciating other embodiments and features
from the following detailed description in conjunction with the drawings.

[0030]The inventive subject matter will be more fully understood from the
following detailed description of the embodiments thereof, taken together
with the drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031]The following figures show embodiments according to the inventive
subject matter, unless noted as showing prior art.

[0032]FIG. 1 is a schematic, pictorial illustration of a system for
endoscopic imaging with a user-actuated auto-focus mechanism, in
accordance with an embodiment of the inventive subject matter;

[0033]FIG. 2 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates a method for
user-actuated auto-focus, in accordance with an embodiment of the
inventive subject matter;

[0034]FIGS. 3A and 3B are a flow chart that schematically shows a detailed
implementation of the method of FIG. 2, in accordance with an embodiment
of the inventive subject matter; and

[0035]FIGS. 4 and 5 are flow charts that schematically illustrate methods
for user-actuated auto-focus, in accordance with alternative embodiments
of the inventive subject matter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036]Representative embodiments according to the inventive subject matter
are shown in FIGS. 1-5, wherein the same or generally similar features
share common reference numerals.

[0037]FIG. 1 is a schematic, pictorial illustration of a system 20 for
endoscopic imaging, in accordance with an embodiment of the inventive
subject matter. A video camera 22 captures images 30 of anatomical
structures within the body of a patient 26 via an endoscope 24. In the
example shown in the figure, endoscope 24 is a rigid laparoscope, and
camera 22 is coupled to the proximal end of the laparoscope, outside the
patient's body. Alternatively, endoscope 24 may comprise a rigid or
flexible endoscope of any other suitable type, and the camera may be
located at either the proximal or the distal end (assuming the camera is
configured to allow automatic focal adjustment). Further alternatively,
the principles of the inventive subject matter may be implemented in
video imaging systems of other types, such as systems for machine vision
and microscopy, and are by no means limited to endoscopic applications.

[0038]Camera 22 comprises imaging optics 36, which focus an image onto an
image sensor 38. The image sensor may comprise any suitable type of
sensing device, such as a CCD or CMOS-type sensor, in either a
single-sensor or multi-sensor configuration. Optics 36 are adjustable,
under external control, in order to vary the focal distance of the images
that are formed on the image sensor. The adjustment may be carried out,
for example, by motorized motion of one or more lenses in optics 36, or
alternatively using any other suitable method of focal adjustment that is
known in the art. A user 28, typically a medical practitioner, aims
endoscope 24 so that the sensor captures images of the desired anatomical
structures. A console 32 processes the output of sensor 38 in order to
produce video images 30 in the appropriate format.

[0039]After inserting endoscope 24 into the patient's body and aiming the
endoscope toward the anatomical structure of interest, user 28 actuates
auto-focus controls 34 and 35. Alternatively, this focusing procedure may
be carried out simultaneously with color balancing ("white balance"),
while the user aims the endoscope toward a calibration target, such as a
white pad (not shown). Controls 34 and 35 may comprise dual push-buttons,
as is illustrated in the figure, for toggling the focal mechanism forward
and back. Alternatively, system 20 may comprise a single auto-focus
control or multiple push-buttons or switches or controls of any other
suitable type. Actuation of controls 34 and 35 invokes an auto-focus
process, in which optics 36 are set to an optimal focal distance, as
described with reference to the figures that follow. This auto-focus
process may be carried out under the control of console 32 and/or by
another suitable controller (not shown) that is contained within camera
22 or in another housing.

[0040]FIG. 2 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates a method for
user-actuated auto-focus, in accordance with an embodiment of the
inventive subject matter. The method is initiated when user 28 presses
auto-focus control 34 or 35, at an actuation step 40. While the user
presses the controls, the controller (such as console 32) drives the
focal adjustment mechanism of optics 36 so as to gradually scan (increase
and/or decrease) the focal distance.

[0041]Meanwhile, image sensor 38 captures a succession of images 30, which
are typically output for viewing by the user. The controller measures one
or more characteristics of the images that are indicative of image focal
quality, and records the measurement it has made as a function of focal
distance, at an image measurement step 42. For example, the controller
may measure image "edginess," i.e., a measure of the sharpness, or
contrast, of edges in the image. For this purpose, the controller may
digitally filter the image using a suitable kernel, and then sum the
resulting output values. One kernel that may be used for this purpose is

##EQU00001##

Alternatively, the filter may output at each pixel the difference between
the maximum and minimum pixel values in a certain neighborhood (such as a
3×3 neighborhood) of the pixel. Alternatively, the controller may
measure any other suitable image characteristic or group of
characteristics that are indicative of focal quality.

[0042]The user-actuated scan of focal distance terminates when the user
releases the auto-focus controls, at a release step 44. (Alternatively,
the user may terminate the scan by actuating the controls in a certain
way, or by any other suitable action or sequence of actions.) For best
results, it is desirable that the user observe images 30 and terminate
the scan immediately after reaching the setting at which the perceived
image quality is best. In this case, the controller will generally have
to perform little or no additional scanning in order to reach the final
focal setting, and the likelihood is increased that the scan will result
in a setting at which the image features of interest to the user are
sharply focused. Alternatively, however, the user may terminate the scan
at any other desired point.

[0043]At the conclusion of steps 40-44, the controller will have collected
measurements of focal quality as a function of focal distance setting
over a range of focal distances. The controller evaluates these collected
measurements in order to decide what additional, automatic focal
adjustment may still be needed, at a decision step 46. If the current
setting is the one that gave the optimal (typically maximal) quality
measure, the controller stops the auto-focus process and takes no further
action.

[0044]Otherwise, the controller chooses the direction for adjustment that
should, according to the collected measurements, lead to an increase in
the focal quality. The controller drives the auto-focus mechanism to
adjust the focus of optics 36 in the chosen direction, at an automatic
adjustment step 48. The adjustment continues until the controller passes
a significant maximum of the focal quality measure. "Significant" in this
context means, for example, that the maximal measure exceeds a certain
baseline value by a predetermined threshold or percentage. After passing
and identifying the maximum, the controller drives the focal adjustment
mechanism back to the setting that gave the optimal quality measure, at a
concluding step 50. The controller may return to this setting either by
tracking the focal quality measure until it returns to the maximal value
or by running the adjustment mechanism for the required time or distance
to reach the optimal setting.

[0045]FIGS. 3A and 3B are a flow chart that schematically shows details of
an exemplary implementation of the method of FIG. 2, in accordance with
an embodiment of the inventive subject matter. As explained above, after
the user actuates controls 34 and/or 35 at step 40, the controller runs
the auto-focus motor (or other mechanism) and computes an image edginess
measure (IEM) as a function of focal setting, at an IEM collection step
60. The controller analyzes the IEM results to find the maximum and
baseline values, wherein the baseline may typically be set to the minimum
IEM value.

[0046]The IEM may be computed over the entire image or, alternatively,
over a certain window within the image, such as a selected area in the
center of the image. The window size and shape may be adjusted according
to the needs of the application. The window may be chosen dynamically
from among a number of options in order to give the strongest maximum or
best contrast between maximum and baseline, or to give a focal distance
(maximum IEM value) that is closest to the setting at which the user
subsequently releases controls 34 and 35 at step 44. Additionally or
alternatively, the IEM may be computed over each of a number of different
windows, and the focal distance may be set on the basis of a combination
of IEM values taken from the different windows.

[0047]The initial scan of focal distance ends, as noted above, when the
user releases controls 34 and 35 at step 42 or, alternatively, if the
auto-focus mechanism previously reaches the end of its range, at a range
limit step 62. In this latter event, the controller stops the scan at the
limit, at a search termination step 64. If the user is satisfied with the
end-of-range setting, the user may release the controls, and the process
will terminate at this point. Otherwise, the user may actuate the
controls once more, thus returning to step 40. The controller will then
repeat step 60, this time running the auto-focus mechanism in the
opposite direction from the previous scan.

[0048]When the user releases the focus controls at step 42, the controller
checks whether the duration of step 60 was sufficient to collect IEM data
for a certain minimal number of video frames, at an IEM availability
checking step 66. Typically, for reliable results, the controller uses
data from at least ten frames, for example. If the user released the
controls before a sufficient number of frames was collected, the
controller may continue to run the auto-focus mechanism and collect IEM
data, at a continued running step 68, until it has a sufficient number of
frames or until it reaches the focus limit.

[0049]In an alternative embodiment, the search may terminate at step 64 if
the user has actuated the auto-focus controls for less than the minimal
number of frames. This option permits the user to perform manual focus
adjustment.

[0050]After the focal scan has terminated, having collected a sufficient
number of frames, the controller checks whether the scan of focal
distance passed through an optimal focal point, at a focus checking step
70. In other words, in the present embodiment, the controller determines
whether the scan passed through a significant local maximum. For example,
the difference between the maximal and minimal values of the IEM may be
compared with an average background level of the images (which may be
either a measured value or a predefined level). For example, the
background level may be defined as level of IEN when image is not in
focus or when no edges present. The maximum may be considered significant
if the difference between maximal and minimal IEM values exceeds the
average background level by a certain factor, such as three.
Alternatively or additionally, other conditions may be used in
identifying significant maxima, such as the profile of the IEM curve, as
explained below in reference to FIG. 5. In any case, if the scan did not
pass through a significant maximum, the search terminates at step 64, and
the user is prompted to actuate the focus controls once again to resume
the search.

[0051]If the controller finds a significant maximum at step 70, it
determines whether the maximum occurred within the last few frames of the
scan, at a maximum identification step 72. If so, the controller
continues to run the auto-focus mechanism in the same direction as in the
most recent pass through step 60, at a scan continuation step 74. The
purpose of this step is to ensure that the frame that was found to have
the maximum IEM value is the true focal point, and not an inferior local
maximum. Otherwise, if the maximum was passed more than a few frames
before the end of the most recent pass through step 60, the controller
runs the auto-focus mechanism in the opposite direction, at a scan
reversal step 76. Typically, the controller seeks to scan over a
sufficient range of frames to have at least ten frames on either side of
the frame with the maximum IEM value (assuming that the maximum is not
found at or very near the end of the focal range of the auto-focus
mechanism).

[0052]In either case (step 74 or 76), the controller continues to collect
IEM values and to seek the maximum and minimum IEM values, at an IEM
collection step 78. Based on the collected IEM values, the controller
sets a threshold (THRESHOLD1) for use in identifying the optimal focal
point, at a threshold setting step 80. For example, the threshold may be
set to the IEM value measured a certain number (K) of frames after the
maximum was reached, such as K=4 frames after the maximum. Focal scanning
and IEM collection at step 80 continue until either the mechanism reaches
the focus limit, at a limit checking step 82, or until a termination
criterion is satisfied, at a scan termination step 84. Typically, this
termination criterion requires that a sufficient number of frames (for
example, ten frames) have elapsed beyond the frame with maximum IEM, and
that the IEM value of the current frame is sufficiently far beneath the
maximum value, for example, 25% below the maximum.

[0053]When the controller determines that it has reached the focal range
limit at step 82 or satisfied the criterion of step 84, it again reverses
the scan direction of the auto-focus mechanism, at a further scan
reversal step 86. The controller now drives the auto-focus mechanism to
scan back and forth over the range around the setting with maximum IEM
until it converges on the optimal focus. As an initial step in this
process, the controller sets a countdown timer to a number of frames that
is equal to the current distance (in frames) from the maximum IEM value
found in the scan of step 78, plus an overshoot of M1 additional frames,
at a countdown setting step 88. Typically, M1 may be set to 10 frames,
for example. The countdown timer is used, as explained below, in order to
prevent excessive scanning back and forth, which may occur, for example,
if the scene imaged by camera 22 has changed. Such a scene change may
result in a change in IEM values as a function of the focal setting.

[0054]Following the scan direction reversal at step 86, the controller
runs the auto-focus mechanism, at a convergent scanning step 90. The
controller computes the IEM values of the captured images and seeks the
point at which the IEM value of the current frame passes the threshold
(THRESHOLD1), at a threshold checking step 94. The controller stops the
search at this point, where the focal setting will likely be within a
short distance of the optimal setting, at a process termination step 96.

[0055]In the meanwhile, for each video frame that passes while scanning
the auto-focus mechanism at step 90, the controller decrements the
countdown timer that was set previously. If the threshold condition of
step 94 is not satisfied, the controller terminates the current scan when
the timer reaches zero, at a timer checking step 98. (As noted above,
this sort of timeout may occur if the scene imaged by camera 22 has
changed.) In this case, the controller again reverses the scan direction,
at a final reversal step 100. For purposes of the reverse scan that is to
follow, the controller finds the maximum IEM value of the scan performed
at step 90, and sets a new threshold (THRESHOLD2) to the IEM value of the
Kth frame following the maximum of this latter scan, at a new threshold
setting step 92. The controller also resets the countdown timer to a
final value M2, at a final timer setting step 102. M2 is typically set to
a value greater than the overshoot value M1 that was set previously. M2
is chosen so that, if a significant maximum of the IEM value is not found
in the subsequent scan, the auto-focus mechanism will be set at or near
the focal setting for which the maximum IEM value was found previously.

[0056]After reversing the scan direction at step 100, the controller again
runs the auto-focus mechanism, computes IEM values, and decrements the
countdown timer, at a final scanning step 104. The scan terminates, at
step 96, either when the IEM value of the current frame passes the
threshold, at a final threshold checking step 106, or when the countdown
reaches zero, at a final timer checking step 108. The focus of camera 22
should now be set at or near the optimal value for viewing the anatomical
structures of interest to the user. If not, or if readjustment of the
focal distance is needed subsequently for any reason, the user may again
press control 34 or 35 in order to restart the auto-focus process.

[0057]FIG. 4 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates a method for
user-actuated auto-focus, in accordance with an alternative embodiment of
the inventive subject matter. In this case (as well as in the embodiment
of FIG. 5, described below), the user actuates auto-focus control 34 or
35 only to initiate the auto-focus process, at an initiation step 110.
The controller does not rely on the user to release the control at or
near the optimal focus, but rather scans the auto-focus mechanism
autonomously, at a scanning step 112.

[0058]The controller computes and records edginess (IEM) values of the
image frames during the scan, and then decides whether it has found a
significant maximum value, at a decision step 114. If the scan passed a
significant maximum, the controller reverses the scan direction and
repeats the search, at a reverse scanning step 116, in a manner similar
to that described above with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B. Finally, the
controller returns the auto-focus mechanism to the optimal setting,
giving the maximal IEM value, either by time (countdown) or by IEM
measurement, at a final setting step 118.

[0059]FIG. 5 is a flow chart that schematically illustrates a method for
user-actuated auto-focus, in accordance with another alternative
embodiment of the inventive subject matter. As in the embodiment of FIG.
4, the user in the present embodiment actuates the auto-focus control
once, at an initiation step 120. The controller scans the auto-focus
mechanism, typically all the way to the focus limit, at a scanning step
122. As in the preceding embodiments, the controller computes and
collects the edginess measure of the image frames.

[0060]In the embodiment of FIG. 5, however, the controller searches not
simply for a local maximum, but for a maximum with a defocus profile that
has a shape similar to the expected shape for transition from focused to
defocused optics, at a defocus assessment step 124. In other words, the
controller evaluates the shape of the IEM curve as a function of focal
distance (or equivalently, as a function of time or frame number). In
particular, the controller tests the gradient of the curve against the
expected range of gradients. The sort of test helps to ensure that the
auto-focus process finds a true focal point, and does not converge to a
local maximum in the IEM curve that is the result of artifacts, rather
than optical focus. Such a test may also be incorporated in the method of
FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, as noted above.

[0061]If the controller finds a maximum in the IEM curve with the desired
profile, it drives the auto-focus mechanism back to the setting that
yielded this maximum, at a final setting step 126. Otherwise, the
controller may repeat the scan of focal distance in the opposite
direction, at a scan reversal step 128. The controller again computes and
analyzes the IEM values to search for a local maximum with the desired
profile, at a reverse assessment step 130. If the controller does not
find a local maximum with the desired profile, it simply determines the
global maximum of the IEM over the entire focal range, and then sets the
focal distance at step 126 to give this global maximum vale.

[0062]In addition to the methods and systems disclosed herein, the
inventive subject matter also contemplates a computer readable medium
storing a set of instructions (i.e., software) executable by conventional
computing devices and processors to perform the disclosed method steps.
The inventive subject matter also contemplates methods of manufacture and
assembly of systems apparatuses, and components disclosed herein.

[0063]It will be appreciated that the embodiments described above are
cited by way of example, and that the inventive subject matter is not
limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove.
Rather, the scope of the inventive subject matter includes both
combinations and subcombinations of the various features described
hereinabove, as well as variations and modifications thereof which would
occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing
description and which are not disclosed in the prior art.